Hepatology: A Handbook of Liver Disease

The field of hepatology encompasses the study of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and biliary tree, as well as their disorders and management. The scope of hepatology is wide, from investigating conditions as varied as drug overdose, fever with features suggestive of a hepatological anomaly, the management of jaundice/hepatitis, advanced liver disease, systemic diseases of the liver and biliary tree, and cancer. The most common conditions dealt with are viral hepatitis and alcohol related liver pathologies. The Hepatitis B virus infects nearly two billion people across the globe and up to 350 million people are persistent carriers. Nearly 80% of all cases of liver cancers may be attributed to hepatitis B or C virus. Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked with the high incidence of cirrhosis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and transhepatic pancreato-cholangiography (TPC) are two important diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of hepatic diseases. This book discusses the fundamentals as well as modern approaches of hepatologic studies. Also included in this book is a detailed explanation of the various diagnostic tools and treatment procedures in hepatology. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject.